Being charged for MMS when sending email to email on 3 UK

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Level 1

22 points

Being charged for MMS when sending email to email on 3 UK

Hi All. I'm currently on the network Three UK on one of their all you can eat data plans. I noticed the other day that there was a charge for additional usage on my account. When I called them to ask what it was they advised it was for 2 MMS's that had been sent. I've never sent an MMS from my iPhone and told them this. Turns out it was a couple of emails I'd sent to another email address that had photo's attached to them. Three advised that emails with photo's attached were treated as MMS's even when it was from email to email.

Has anyone come across this and found a way around it? I've now turned off MMS in message settings but I can't stress enough that this was email sent to another email address through the mail app.....NOT through text or iMessage.

Posted on Nov 20, 2012 5:22 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 20, 2012 9:23 AM in response to Dazza76

That's a bit worrying as it doesn't seem obvious that this is the case from 3's website and I'm not sure I like the idea of them knowing you have an image embedded in your email. Did you ask them how they knew what you were sending and whether you could upload to Facebook/Twitter/Flickr/Picasa etc.etc. without incurring this rediculous charge?

I think I'd be having a word with trading standards and looking elsewhere if I were in your shoes.

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Answer 2

Dazza76 Author

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22 points

Nov 20, 2012 9:52 AM in response to Ken Davies

I forgot to ask them about upoading via the sites you mention.
The trading standards point if interesting. They make it clear that tethering isn't allowed on certain all you can eat plans but I can't find mention anywhere of this picture attachment to email being treated as a charable MMS. I'll ask them about that in a 3 shop I think.

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,381 points

Nov 20, 2012 9:56 AM in response to Dazza76

I find this interesting since email goes through your email server, MMS goes though the cellular carrier like an SMS, only a little different setting. I have no idea how they would get email data and charge that through MMS. Sounds to me like you need to have a word with them, because an email with attachement is just a packet of data to them, they wouldn't know different. The only alternative to that would be if you were not using the email client but was sending it through the Messages app as an iMessage and they were going email to email as an Apple ID.

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Answer 4

Dazza76 Author

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22 points

Nov 20, 2012 10:03 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

Yes Chris, that exactly what I was thinking. I've called a 3 shop here and spoke to someone and they were mystified by it as well. The lad I spoke to said there was no way I should have been charged for it and that he uses and iPhone and emails images all the time and has never been charged. He also said he couldn't imagine how 3 would even know if there was an image attached to an email. He confirmed what I already knew and said if it had gone through iMessage this could have happened but I've double checked and it was sent through the mail app.

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Answer 5

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,381 points

Nov 20, 2012 10:06 AM in response to Dazza76

I would register a complaint and have them credit your account or have them explain in a lot more detail to you how an MMS, which is handled as a cellular data transfer through the Messages app is confused with an email, sent though the email client through the email server (two completely different services). While I don't know how much the charge was, and it might not be much, it is the principle of them trying to pull one over on you. There is no way the phone could have confused it either. Not sure what they call it in the UK, but over here they would say someone is trying to screw you!!

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Answer 6

Dazza76 Author

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22 points

Nov 20, 2012 10:18 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

Don't worry Chris, "someone trying to screw you" means the same here as over the pond in this context. It was only about 70p for two emails (about $1.10) and I demanded the money back when I called them. They said they would return it on this occasion as I didn't know there would be a charge but in future if I sent any more emails with images attached I would be charged the MMS rate.

I'm hoping this was a glitch as when I spoke to the guy in the shop (re-assuring local) he had never had it happen to him or even heard of it happening and categorically stated I should never be charged for an emailed image.

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Answer 7

ChrisJ4203

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236,381 points

Nov 20, 2012 10:20 AM in response to Dazza76

Good luck. Enjoy your iPhone.

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Answer 8

Dazza76 Author

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22 points

Nov 20, 2012 10:22 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

Thanks Chris. It's a wonderful piece of engineering in every way. I already consider it the best phone I've owned and it will only go higher in my estimation when they sort the blue-tooth issues on iOS 6!

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Answer 9

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,381 points

Nov 20, 2012 10:26 AM in response to Dazza76

Which bluetooth issue do you have. I have an iPhone 4S on iOS 6.0.1 and my bluetooth works fine. I know there are some issues with the upgraded version of iOS working with some vehicle devices, but those will require updates from those manufacturers. not necessarily with Apple.

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Answer 10

Dazza76 Author

Level 1

22 points

Nov 20, 2012 10:32 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

For some reason it fails to recognise my iMac on Bluetooth. I know there is no real need to connect an iPhone to a mac via Bluetooth but I was just testing things. Tried my 4th gen iPod touch and it connected straight away with no issue. Spoke to a lad in the apple shop and he said there were reports of Bluetooth issues on some iPhone 5's and apple were investigating. Not a big issue but everything else works so well on the phone it's a shame Bluetooth doesn't.

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Answer 11

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,381 points

Nov 20, 2012 10:36 AM in response to Dazza76

Connecting the iPhone to a computer via bluetooth can only be done for tethering. You can do any type of file transfers via bluetooth, so there is really no real need to connect the iPhone to the computer for any other reason. I'm not at home right now, but there is a support document that explains the bluetooth profiles on the phone and what you can do with them. I have the support document link saved at home. If I get there soon, I'll post it if you cannot find it.

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Answer 12

Dazza76 Author

Level 1

22 points

Nov 20, 2012 10:40 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

Thanks Chris.

I couldn't transfer anything as it said my iMac wasn't recognised....even though it was paired with the phone. Plus, the fact I had no issues with my touch using iOS 5.1.1 was odd. The mac is a Mac mini mid 2011 if it helps.

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Answer 13

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,381 points

Nov 20, 2012 1:20 PM in response to Dazza76

Just realized my typo after I got home. What I meant to say was "You cannot do any type of file transfer" via bluetooth. While it may pair, again, there really isn't much you can do.

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